Paranoid
by Saru Namii
Summary: Adam gets mad and then paranoid.


Story Alerts: G, humor

Summary: Adam gets mad and then paranoid.

Adam kept his face carefully devoid of any emotions, inwardly growling ferociously at his youngest brother. His posture was straight and stiff with his fists clenched tightly at his sides. How dare Joe not only sabotage his date, but sell his best rifle as well! It was too much to ask for Adam to be understanding, as Hoss was asking him to be at that very moment.

"Adam," Hoss began, "You know if Joe had had any other choice—"

A cold look from the oldest Cartwright brother cut him off abruptly, but even the normally verbose Adam could find no suitable choice words for the situation.

There was a brief silence before Ben cleared his throat to address his angry son, "Now, Adam, you can't tell me one date and a gun are worth your little brother's life, can you?"

His first instinct was reply in the affirmative, but Adam clenched his jaws tightly shut to keep that one little word down, trying to convince himself he really would regret saying that later. Instead Adam turned towards the door, brushing past a fearful Little Joe, only saying in a level voice, "I'll go check on the herd." With that he was out the door and on Sport riding at full speed towards the grazing cattle.

Adam merely sat broodingly on Sport's back as he watched the cattle chewing away at the grass. It was easier to think clearly without his family crowding him to be the fair and understanding older brother. The more he thought about it, the less it bothered him that the date Linda Sue had ended so badly. She wasn't exactly a thrilling conversationalist and he had been wanting to get to know Christine, the pretty redhead that had just moved to town. She was pretty and smart.

In all fairness to Joe, this time the whole situation wasn't his fault. He had only tried to help a down-on-his-luck kid that happened to have some terrible enemies. There really was nothing wrong with wanting to help others. It was, in fact, a highly respected trait that many sought after. Adam would miss that gun, though.

Thinking back to that last conversation, Adam realized how sorry he was for the disrespect he had shown his father. It was uncalled for and rude. He turned Sport around and headed towards home, with thoughts of his father suddenly becoming the victim of some vindictive gunman come to the Ponderosa for power and money. Adam shook the unappealing thought from his mind. Everything would be fine back home. Pa was surely sitting behind that desk of his working on the books he hated so much.

Wincing at his coldness towards his compassionate second brother, Adam recalled the look he had sent Hoss for trying to help, and Hoss's dejected expression afterwards. He had no business treating Hoss like that. The gentle giant only wanted what was best for the family, and he was always the one that understood Adam's moodiness and restless spirit and put up with him no matter what. Now Adam felt like a real jerk. What if something were to happen to Hoss, before he could tell him how sorry he was? Sport sped up just slightly beneath him.

Suddenly Adam began to worry about his implied answer to his father's last question. True, he had managed to keep his mouth shut, but it would hurt Joe all the same. With the luck of their family, Adam could just picture Little Joe getting gunned down by a recently escaped prisoner, who just happened to have something against the Cartwright family, and then he would lie in a coma for months. Shaking his head forcibly, Adam chastised himself for his overactive imagination. Joe was surely just fine, but still a thread of doubt remained in his mind, and the oldest brother hurried Sport into a gallop towards the ranch house to have that talk with his family.

Adam reluctantly strolled over to where Joe was working in the barn. He paused uncertainly before his younger brother. Apologies were never his strong suite; they always made him uncomfortable. "Joe," Adam began hesitantly.

Startled, Joe looked up as his older brother, "Yeah, Adam?" He looked half-afraid of what the bigger brother might have to say.

"I—well, about this morning…I didn't mean it."

Little Joe grinned at Adam, relief and joy evident on his face, "I know, Adam." There was a pause and then Joe spoke again, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"How come you got over it so quick? Usually you fume for days," immediately Joe looked horrified at his own words, "I mean, not that it's a bad thing—"

Looking decidedly uncomfortable, Adam scratched at his scalp, "Well, uh, you see, I suddenly had this…um…strange worry that something might happen…to you."

Joe laughed, "You getting paranoid in your old age?"

"Something like that," Adam muttered, his ears tingeing red with embarrassment. "I've got to go talk to Pa and Hoss." With a swift turn, Adam was heading out of the barn towards the house to find the rest of his family. Relief swept over him as he realized the worst of his apologies was over with, and they didn't once raise their voices at each other. Will wonders never cease?

The End.


End file.
